Haiti Earthquake Relief: How You Can Help | Huffington Post

Published Friday, January 15, 2010 4:00 am

by Victoria Fine

Huffington Post Impact has put together a comprehensive list of
links to donate and get involved in relief efforts for victims of
Tuesday's devastating earthquake. You can also go to The Goods: Help Send Relief To Haiti,
an online store by Causecast and HuffPost Impact, where you can
purchase products for organizations that will be directly used on the
ground in Haiti.

The U.S. State Department Operations Center has set up the following
number for Americans seeking information about family members in Haiti:
1-888-407-4747

The American Red Cross
is pledging an initial $200,000 to assist communities impacted by this
earthquake. They expect to provide immediate needs for food, water,
temporary shelter, medical services and emotional support. They are
accepting donations through their International Response Fund.

UNICEF has
issued a statement that "Children are always the most vulnerable
population in any natural disaster, and UNICEF is there for them."
UNICEF requests donations for relief for children in Haiti via their Haiti Earthquake Fund. You can also call 1-800-4UNICEF.

Donate through Wyclef Jean's foundation, Yele Haiti. Text "Yele" to 501501 and $5 will be charged to your phone bill and given to relief projects through the organization.

Operation USA
is appealing for donations of funds from the public and corporate
donations in bulk of health care materials, water purification supplies
and food supplements which it will ship to the region from its base in
the Port of Los Angeles. Donate online at www.opusa.org, by phone at 1-800-678-7255 or, by check made out to Operation USA, 3617 Hayden Ave, Suite A, Culver City, CA 90232.

International Medical Corps
is assembling a team of first responders and resources to provide
lifesaving medical care and other emergency services to survivors of
the earthquake. The IMC previously helped recovery efforts after
September 2009's earthquake in Sumatra, Indonesia, and the massive 2005
earthquake in Pakistan. Donate to the International Medical Corps through their 24-hour hotline at 800-481-4462

Ben Stiller's Stillerstrong campaign will be temporarily diverting all donations to support the Haiti relief effort.

As a UN Special Envoy to Haiti, Bill Clinton appeared on CNN on
Wednesday to ask for further assistance in bringing relief to
populations on the ground. You can donate through the Clinton Foundation or text HAITI to 20222 to donate $10.

Mercy Corps
is sending a team of emergency responders to assess damage, and seek to
fulfill immediate needs of quake survivors. The agency aided families
after earthquakes in Peru in 2007, China and Pakistan in 2008, and
Indonesia last year. Donate online, call 1-888-256-1900 or send checks to Mercy Corps Haiti Earthquake Fund; Dept NR; PO Box 2669; Portland, OR 97208.

Direct Relief
is committing up to $1 million in aid for the response and is
coordinating with its other in-country partners and colleague
organizations. Their partners in Haiti include Partners in Health, St.
Damien Children's Hospital, and the Visitation Hospital, which are
particularly active in emergency response. Donate to Direct Relief online.

Oxfam
is rushing in teams from around the region to respond to the situation
to provide clean water, shelter, sanitation and help people recover. Donate to Oxfam America online.

The UN World Food Programme is gathering all available resources to deliver food to the recently homeless and impoverished in Haiti. Donate now to help bring food to those affected as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Following the earthquake, Catholic Relief Services
made an immediate commitment of $5 million for emergency supplies. They
are distributing food and relief supplies, and importing plastic
sheeting, mosquito nets and water purification tablets from the
Domincan Republic. Donate to Catholic Relief Services to assist in these efforts.

CARE is deploying emergency team members to Port-au-Prince today to
assist in recovery efforts. They're focusing their efforts on rescuing
children who may still be trapped in schools that collapsed. Donate to CARE.

Orphans International America
reports that they have been able to make contact with their program
director in the town of Jacmel, a city about 20 miles southwest of
Port-au-Prince that houses OI's hospitals and schools. Orphans
International America is attempting to gather food, clean water and
emergency medical supplies to Jacmel. You can contribute to them
through PayPal.

The International Rescue Committee
is deploying an emergency response team to Haiti to deliver urgent
assistance to earthquake survivors and to help overwhelmed local aid
groups struggling to meet the immense emergency needs. They will focus
on critical medical, water and sanitation assistance. Donate to the IRC Haiti Crisis Fund.

NetHope is
coordinating its response with its NGO member agencies and with the
UN's Emergency Telecom Cluster to establish connectivity in Haiti.
Seventeen of NetHope's members are already providing aid and deploying
resources on the ground. Donate online.

World Vision has more 370 staff in the country. Staff members from
less-affected regions of Haiti are mobilizing, and World Vision's
global experts are expected to arrive in the disaster zone as soon as
possible. Donate to World Vision.

Friends of the Orphans
will use donations to meet the needs of first responders such as first
aid supplies, shipping of necessary materials to assist in efforts, and
treating the injured. Those interested in helping the relief effort can
visit www.friendsoftheorphans.org, or call 888-201-8880 to make a donation.

World Concern's
staff is almost entirely composed of Haitian nationals and will be
tapping into private as well as U.S. government supplies to help in the
relief effort it hopes will soon be supplemented by cargo ships. Donate
to World Concern.

Merlin USA
is sending an emergency response team out to the region and have
subsequently launched an emergency appeal to bring urgent medical aid
and assistance to those affected. Donate to Merlin USA.

The Salvation Army
has staff on the ground and already the organization has set aside
$50,000 in direct aid to the country but the organization is in need of
additional donations. Donations can be made online or by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY.

AmeriCares
has pledged $5 million in aid in the wake of the catastrophe and is
sending an emergency shipment with $3 million worth of medicines and
supplies for earthquake survivors. Donate online or call 1-800-486-HELP.

Handicap International
will provide care to those injured by the earthquake and its
aftershocks, including support to hospitals for essential post-surgery
and rehabilitation care, as well as emergency shelter, emergency basic
needs and food distribution for at least 5,000 people initially. Donate online.

Episcopal Relief & Development has committed to providing Haiti both long and short-term support in the wake of the disaster. Donate to the Haiti Fund or call 1-800-334-7626, ext. 5129. Gifts can be mailed to Episcopal Relief & Development, PO Box 7058, Merrifield, VA 22116-7058.